• 10 Italian red wines to try:

personally that is my point of view, most of the wines they are part of my testing and emotion i got with them:

 Trentino:
Tenuta S. Leonardo
S. Leonardo 2001 cabernet Sauvignon:

combines blueberry, blackberry, graphite, dark chocolate and roast coffee bean. This displays impressive intensity on the palate while retaining noteworthy elegance. Ripe acidity gives definition to what is a deceptively powerful and fine-grained wine. A superb version of a cool-climate cabernet-consistent . 

Piemonte

Barolo Monfortino Riserva 2002, Giacomo Conterno
Giacomo Conterno is the king of Langha his Barolo it is like a monument, old school, long maceration on the skin. 8 years matured in big Slavonian oak... The best wine in the world.
                                            
 Trentino Alto Adige


Eugenio Rosi Trentino Marzemino Poiema 2005
Eugenio Rosi is an artisan winegrower drive by the nature. His Marzemino a native grape varieties from Trentino Alto Adige is an expression of soil, climate and nature; conceptually made without intervention... A man to know
Poiema shows an intense ruby red color and nuances of ruby red, little transparency. The nose reveals intense, clean, pleasing and refined aromas which start with hints of cherry, plum and blackberry followed by aromas of geranium, violet, black currant, raspberry, pomegranate, pink pepper and menthol. The mouth has good correspondence to the nose, a slightly tannic attack and however balanced by alcohol, good body, intense flavors, pleasing roundness. The finish is persistent with flavors of cherry, plum and blackberry. Poiema ages for 12 months in oak, cherry wood and chestnut wood casks.

  Toscana:

I know many person would be disappointed because i don't mention Soldera or Montevertine, however my best brunello di montalcino impress me in a tasting made by "Velier" was this one:

Il Paradiso Di Manfredi 2001 
sangiovese grosso in Biodinamic farming 
De-stemming, crushing, maceration and fermentation with natural yeasts in concrete containers.  filled in different ways and in appropriate quantities that allow fermentation is very slow and very prolonged low temperatures. Later, when the wine is ready , goes to the cellar to mature on the lees in barrels of Slavonian oak of 25 hl. for 12 months. No clarification and filtration.

 Marche
 Kurni 2007 Montepulciano D'Abruzzo from Oasi degli Angeli  

Here we looking a small winery on the hills of Cupra Marittima in Ascoli Piceno a really marittime climate, Montepulciano D'abruzzo is the grape vaieties... His made in style of right bank bourdeaux french oak, battonage, however is farming with no chemical. The wine is concentrate and powerful a wine to aging.. Join the Vini Veri association of Paolo Bea.
      
   Molise
Tintilla Di Majo Norante 2009

Tintilla is another native grape varieties from center/south italy based in a small region called Molise. Less than 10 years ago some winery start to replanting it, so the production is very small i try all the winery produce them, the one impress me more was Di Majo Norante for the semplicity and drinkability. Spend 1 years in french oak used, i love the eartiness and acidity balance in the mouth.
Basilicata


DON ANSELMO
AGLIANICO DEL VULTURE 1999




Aglianico del Vulture as we know have been called the Barbaresco of south Italy, Don Anselmo for me is one of the best expression of this oustanding grape varieties. Ageing in large barrels and barrique for at least two years, i remember this 1999 blow me away; an amazing bouquet with elegant herbaceous notes with dark berries and beautiful alcoholic warmth. 

Sicilia

In the last 10 years or so, one of the outstanding terroir have been take in consideration all over the world; N.Y times, The Guardian and many international news paper have been write world about the wines comes from the volcano Etna in sicily. People from different part of the world have brought vineyards in this particular climate as Franck Cornellis form nord europe, producer as Benanti made all the world talk about is Carricante. Also very Important here we having a Prefilloxera berrys. The wine  i loved  more in this area is:
Rosso dell'Etna D.O.C. Azienda vinicola Calabretta 2001 
Made with the native grapes Nerello Mascalese and in very low percentage Nerello Cappucino
a red wine very intense and persistence with a beautiful love red fruit and pleased minerality all integrated with the structure of the tannin and the volume in alcohol every glass i had called the next.. Calabretta is the oldest winery farming in biodinamic concept on Etna... I had this  wine with my sister at two star michelin Reale Casadonna di Niko Romito with his Veal gel, porcini mushroom pine leaves and truffle see the video below:



         
   Sardegna
My next red love coming from the beautiful island in Sardinia I.G.T. Isole dei Nuraghi the winery is famous for his international Vermentino ageing in barrel. However as a red a loved his Carignano 100% ("family of Grenache") :
     
Capichera Mantènghja 1999
That's was their first vintage release, we were in a tasting about Sardinia wines i remeber all the people present in the tasting were talking about the Turriga of Argiolas another mythical red wine from Sardinia; but that day i felt in love with this perfect Cargnano which waiting 3 years before release in old barrels with spontaneous malolactic fermentation.
A very deep colour concentrated and vibrant, with hints of red currant, blackberries, blueberries, juniper berries, mint, coffee and chocolate full warm rounded and juicy. From that day that's my grenache.
Liguria

In the Riviera Ligure di Ponente D.O.C. there is perhaps one of the best native grapes from Italy comparable with the Pinot Noir of Burgundy called Rossese di Dolceacqua, heroic viticulture from the exposition of the vineyard, a lady called Giovanna Maccario made a truly expression of this wine.

Rossese Dolceacqua superiore Posaù 2010
A single vineyards  located 250 meters above sea level. A masterpiece! I was surprised and excited with his class and its opulence. The nose ripe red fruit and intense notes of spices! Soft and long! 


Enjoy 

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